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Thyroid test

The thyroid is a small gland that sits in the middle of your lower neck. It produces hormones that are released into your bloodstream to control your metabolism.

Anyone of any age can get thyroid disease, but women are five to eight times more likely than men to have it.

Relatively simple tests will identify if you have a problem. You can have either an underactive or overactive thyroid, which both cause many symptoms that make your life difficult. Both problems can be treated easily with drugs or, in rare cases, a simple operation to remove part or the whole of the gland.

Thyroid disorders affect around one in 20 people in the UK. (source: British Thyroid Foundation). Overactive thyroid (known as hyperthyroidism) is a relatively common problem when you have too much thyroid hormone in your body. It has various causes including:

Graves' disease – an autoimmune condition that runs in the family and can happen at any age, although it is most common in women aged 20 to 40

thyroid nodules – lumps that develop in the gland

iodine supplements – taking too many of these can trigger the gland to produce too many hormones

Amiodarone – a type of medication that helps you control an irregular heartbeat

follicular thyroid cancer – in rare cases, you may develop an overactive thyroid as a result of this form of cancer.

The symptoms of an overactive thyroid include:

hyperactivity

mood swings – such as anxiety, irritability and nervousness

difficulty sleeping

fatigue

needing to go the toilet more frequently

unexplained or unexpected weight loss

infrequent or light periods, or periods stopping altogether

infertility

loss of interest in sex. (source: NHS Choices)

Underactive thyroid (known as hypothyroidism) means your thyroid gland is not producing enough hormones. It's most often caused by your immune system attacking the gland and damaging it, or from damage that happens as a result of other drug treatments. Other less common causes include a lack of dietary iodine, and sometimes you are just born with an underactive thyroid.

The symptoms include:

tiredness

weight gain

depression

constipation

being sensitive to the cold

dry skin and hair

muscle aches.

Blood tests are the simplest way to test your thyroid function. They can also be used to monitor the effects of treatment.

A fixed price for this treatment may be available on enquiry and following an initial consultation.

* Loan applicable to the treatment cost and excludes the initial consultation.

Spire Bristol Hospital can provide you with a single, fixed price1 so there are no surprises. 1Please read Spire Healthcare's terms and conditions for full details of what’s included and excluded in your fixed price when paying for yourself. Finance options are available through our partner Omni Capital Retail Finance Ltd, 10 Norwich Street, London, EC4A 1BD.

These tests are carried out as an outpatient case so you will be able to go home straight after or as soon as you feel comfortable.

Pain relief

These tests are painless. You might feel some slight discomfort but you shouldn’t need any pain relief medication.

Recovery time

When we discharge you we'll talk to you about an appointment to see your specialist again to discuss the test results.

You should be able to return to work immediately.

Looking after you

Even once you’ve left hospital, we’re still here for you. Your specialist is likely to want to see you after your tests results become available, a follow up appointment will be made for you. We take an integrated approach so we can organise any other care that you may need should your test results show something abnormal.

We are committed to delivering excellent individual care and customer service across our network of hospitals, clinics and specialist care centres around the UK. Our dedicated and highly trained team aim to achieve consistently excellent results. For us it's more than just treating patients, it's about looking after people.

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Important to note

The treatment described on this page may be adapted to meet your individual needs, so it's important to follow your healthcare professional's advice and raise any questions that you may have with them.